Time And Time Again
by ImagingThings
Summary: AU! Having recently been reunited Rose and the Doctor sets out on their first adventure together finding themselves in a certain English forest. RoseDoctor MarianRobin DjaqWill and KateAllan! AU - Kate is an OC
1. A Brand New Adventure

_Okay. I've actually been wanting to do this for a while. But never really put my mind on it. _

_**Disclaimer: **I don't own anything Doctor Who or Robin Hood. Not even one little random piece of mercandize..._

It was really wonderful being back. Rose Tyler couldn't remember the last time she'd been as happy as she was now; sitting in the captain's chair on the TARDIS, practically her second, if not primary, home. It wasn't the scenery there was the main reason for her happiness though, it was the company: the man who currently was prancing around the console, apparently pulling levers and pushing buttons at random. Rose, knew better, she knew that he was actually setting the coordinates for their next trip, their first trip since being re-united.

"So." She asked "What's our destination?"

"I don't know!" the Doctor announced with his trademark smile. "I'm putting it on random. It will take us to a completely random place in both time and space. With only the slight safety measurement that we won't end up meeting ourselves. That would make a mess!"

Rose couldn't help laughing at the thought of the TARDIS being put on random. Not that it would seem necessary, with the Doctor's lacking ability to control his machine. She didn't get much time to dwell on it, however, for in the next moment he pulled another lever and the TARDIS whirled through the vortex. It was a familiar feeling Rose had very much missed. Not long after she'd been trapped in Pete's world she'd gone to a local amusement park with Jake and Mickey, they'd dragged her into the craziest rollercoaster they could find, clearly in an attempt to cheer her up, but compared to the mad dashes through the vortex even that rollercoaster, with all its loops and twists, had seemed to her like a children's rollercoaster. _This _was the real deal.

With a loud thud the TARDIS landed, sending both Rose and the Doctor sprawling on the floor.

"What do you say Rosie? Shall we go checking were we are?"

As if he had to ask. Smiling Rose let the Doctor pull her to her feet and hand in hand they ran out of the TARDIS, only to find themselves in a big room with a four poster bed in the middle of it. A four poster bed occupied by a short, bald man dressed in a black silken pyjama. Suddenly the man sat up and, upon noticing the intruders, started yelling at top of his lungs:

"GUARDS! HOOD! CATCH HIM!"

Quickly Rose and the Doctor dashed out of the room and ran for it. There was no doubt that they'd ended up at some sort of castle, medieval judging on the architecture and the clothing of the few people they came across. The man had talked about a 'Hood' whatever he meant by that. Just as they were about to leave the castle through a small door they once again heard the man's voice:

"A big, blue box! WHAT'S A BIG, BLUE BOX DOING IN _MY_ ROOM?"

They ran as fast as they could. Somehow, miraculously, evading all the guards. They dashed through the town and out through the gate, on towards the great woods. Not that they needed to, seeing as everybody seemed to almost ignore them. They _wanted_ to. Running was an important part of their adventures together.

Reaching the wood they left the road and continued in between the trees. Jumping over roots and stones, ducking under branches, dashing around trees and large rock. Just running until they, with no warning, found themselves dangling upside down, each with a leg suspended by a loop hanging from a tree. The sonic screwdriver fell out of the Doctor's pocket and landed on the forest floor with a small thud. No matter how hard they tried they couldn't reach the rope and free themselves.

Kate saw the two oddly clad strangers running through the woods and raced back towards the camp to warn Robin and the others. She'd hardly entered the camp, still trying to catch her breath, when the alarm indicating that their trap had been sprung sounded.

Quickly the gang ran out to see who, or what, there had made the alarm go off, to Kate's surprise it was the two strangers she'd seen before.

"Oi!" said the man, in between at the same time attempting to swing up and reach the rope and trying to reach something on the ground. "Do you care to set us free?"

"If you'll give one tenth of your belongings to the poor!" Robin said, matter-of-factly.

"And don't try to trick us." Much said, warningly. "Because if you do,"

"We take it all!" John finished the sentence.

"We don't have our belongings with us." The blond girl had been silent until then. "They're in the TARDIS, which happens to be at the castle, last seen in the room with the short, bald, yelling man."

It took a few seconds before the gang realized who she was referring to by 'short, bald, yelling man' but when the truth dawned upon them, that she in fact was talking about 'dear old Vaysey' they couldn't help laughing. The description 'short, bald, yelling' clearly was fitting.

"Okay." Robin said when they'd all stopped laughing. "I guess we can trust you."

"Good! Will you let us down now?" asked the man.

Quickly Will turned around a pulled a hidden lever, making the rope loosen up so the two people fell to the ground. They jumped to their feet, the man grapping the thing on the forest floor he'd been trying to reach.

They agreed that it would be best to return to the camp and come up with a plan.

"What are your names." The girl asked when they were back at the camp.

"I'm Robin Hood. That's Much, Tuck, Little John, "a bemused look crossed the two strangers faces when they heard the all-but-little John being called 'little'. "Marian, Djaq, Allan A-Dale, Will Scarlet and Kate Scarlet. Will and Kate are cousins. And you are?"

"I'm the Doctor. And that's my girlfriend Rose Tyler."

Kate couldn't help smiling when she noticed that the girl, Rose, blushed slightly upon being called the Doctor's 'girlfriend'. She's never heard the word before but she was almost certain that the relationship between those two were the same as between her and Allan.

"I'm not being funny but 'Doctor' isn't really a name!"

"It isn't his _real_ name. He doesn't tell anybody his real name. Not even me."

Kate was very sure she could detect a faint edge of something, disappointment, jealousy of something, in Rose's voice.

"Does that really matter?" Marian, like Kate, had noticed that Rose apparently didn't like to talk about why the Doctor kept his real name a secret, so now she, ever the diplomat, had decided that it was best to change to subject. "After all, we need to come up with some kind of plan. If you two want to get you TARDIS back. Are you still going to give a donation to the poor by the way?"

"Of course we are!" the Doctor said smiling.

Together they sat down and tried to come up with a plan of how to break into the castle, get to the so-called TARDIS and give the Doctor and Rose long enough time to go inside and find their donations. Never one second did any of the gang come with any suggestions that their two guest might as well just leave as soon as they found the TARDIS, the Doctor had briefly explained how it was their method of transportation, the two of them seemed to be honest, trustful people.

After a while Tuck came up with a plan:

"It's Easter tomorrow. That means there'll be held a midnight service tomorrow night. I've been communicating with the abbey of the monastery; a group of monks will be attending the service, taking care of the chanting. If you two," he pointed towards Rose and the Doctor. "Mingle with the other church-goers then I'll join with the other monks. They're friends of mine so they won't give me away. The rest of you must find other places to hide. When the mess is over we use the crowed streets as a cover up."

"Wouldn't it be easier to just use the fact that the castle will be deserted as a cover up?" Kate couldn't help asking. Ingenious as Tuck's plan was it seemed a little over the top, making something simple more difficult than it had to.

"It would. But we'd risk wasting a lot of time searching for the TARDIS. We might risk that the mess would be over before we find it."

"And we won't be wasting time hanging around in the church?" even though she didn't say it Kate wasn't in doubt that Djaq didn't like the thought of attending the mess, even if it would be hidden, after all, it wasn't her religion.

"You're right Djaq." Robin said. "So, if you, Will, Allan and Kate go to the castle and try to find the TARDIS then Marian, Much and I will be waiting outside the church. John, you go with them to the castle and wait for us outside."

They spent the rest of the day trying to put the plan to perfection.


	2. Not Everything Go As Planned

Easter Sunday they spent resting, knowing that they'd all have to be awake and alert for the night's events. The hung around in the camp, listening to each other's stories; some of the Doctor's and Rose's tales were so strange than none of the gang members could believe it. On the other hand; two people, dressed so foreign and who apparently lived and travelled in something called a TARDIS, maybe it really _was_ true all their stories.

When the sun set they started to prepare for the night; Rose and the Doctor were each given some clothes from the chest in which those things from the raids that could prove useful later, and they couldn't just give to the peasants, were stored.

Ensuring themselves that everything for ready they set of for Nottingham; the previous day, as soon as their plan had been perfected, Marian had gone to visit her old maid Sarah to ask her if the Doctor and Rose could wait at her place until it was time for the mess. If anyone asked the Doctor was Sarah's cousin Dunne.

Arriving in Nottingham they split up in two groups; one, consisting of Robin, Marian, Much, Tuck, the Doctor and Rose, going towards the church, they would drop the Doctor and Rose off on the way. The other group, consisting of John, Will, Allan, Djaq and Kate, going towards the castle.

Arriving at the castle they left John outside and quickly took one of their usual hidden entrances.

"Okay." Djaq began whispering. "I think it's best if we split up in groups of two."

They agreed that it would be the best thing; going all four together would take too much time and going alone would be too risky seeing as they couldn't be completely sure all the guards had left.

Without any words they split into their usual groups; Djaq and Will, Kate and Allan. Always like this, a little too usual Kate thought.

"You know what?" she asked. "Why don't we try something new? So, if Djaq and I go together then you boys can go together."

After a brief hesitation, mainly from the boys, they agreed to that diversion and went in their different directions.

XXX

Sitting in Sarah's small home in Pit Street Rose couldn't help feeling a little uncomfortable about herself; she'd been complaining about how her life was so dull, about how she, when she still lived with her mum at the Powell estate, couldn't always afford the latest fashion. About how she'd had to work in a shop and eat chips.

She didn't get much time to dwell on it for in the same moment the church bells started ringing and Sarah's daughter Jess came over and told them that it was time to go.

The streets were buzzing with life. It seemed like every person from Nottingham and the surrounding villages were on their way to the mess. This, probably, wasn't far from the truth.

Entering the church they went over and stood in front of a small niche in the wall. From that position they had a clear view into the place where the monks stood, making them able to signal to Tuck.

"Hey." Someone suddenly whispered from the niche. Startled they turned around to see Marian leaning slightly out of the shadows. Apparently they weren't the only ones who'd seen that this spot was perfect for communicating with Tuck.

"Hey." Sarah whispered back. "Where are Robin and Much?"

"Didn't you see the beggar outside the door?" a bemused smile had crossed Marian's mouth. Of course; they'd all seen him but none of them had really thought about it.

"That was Robin?" Jess' voice was filled with surprise.

"Yes. Much has gone to the backside of the church."

They didn't get any more time to talk for in the same moment the monks started chanting.

"I thought they spoke Latin." Rose whispered surprised. "but this is English."

Instead of answering her question the Doctor simply shot her a strange look. Puzzled Rose tried to figure out what she had forgotten during her time in the parallel world. Of course; the translation unit, she'd become so used to in during their travels together that she didn't really notice it.

XXX

Where could it be? Slowly creeping through the castle Kate and Djaq peered into every room where it would seem likely that the sheriff had stored the TARDIS away. The Doctor had given them a brief description of what it looked like. Yet wherever they looked there was no signs of any TARDIS, if this continued the mess would be over before they found it.

"I hope the boys have more luck than us." Kate whispered.

"Yes. Looking inside every possible place just takes too much time. According to Rose's story they ended up in the sheriff's room. If nobody has been able to move it that's where it'll still be."

Of course. Djaq was right; why hadn't she thought about that before? Quickly they hurried towards the sheriff's room: nothing!

Now what? Frantically searching their brains they tried to come up with the most likely place for the sheriff to put the TARDIS.

Their thoughts was interrupted by the sound of someone given the agreed upon signal; it seemed like the boys had already found it.

Wasting no time they left the room and hurried back to the place where they'd split from the boys.

"Where is it?" Will and Djaq asked as if with one mouth.

"But it was you giving the signal." This time it was Kate and Allan's turn to speak at the same time.

Realizing that neither of the groups had given the signal they stood for a brief second wondering if it had been false alarm; after all, their signal had been agreed upon because it sounded a lot like a birdcall, maybe it really had been a bird.

"John!" Djaq suddenly said. "Maybe he was the one giving the signal?"

Figuring that she probably was right they went outside to where John was hidden. When he saw them he simply mentioned towards the blue box. They'd found it. There were only two problems; it was heavily guarded and it stood on top of something which looked a lot like a pyre.

XXX

"My dear children." The priest began, going over to English. "Yesterday a devilish device suddenly appeared in the sheriff's room. Two demons left the device and are currently walking freely among us. When this mess is over the device will be burned in the courtyard of the castle and we will all hope and pray that the loss of that will cause the demons to disappear from this world forever."

Horrified Rose looked at the Doctor then up towards the place where Tuck stood, with her eyes asking him how that could be possible.

He simply shrugged, with his demeanour signalling that he didn't know anything about that.

As soon as the mess was over they left the church, found Robin and Much, briefed them quickly, and hurried towards the castle. As soon as they arrived they found the others.

"Come on." The Doctor said. "They've placed the TARDIS so the door faces away from the audience. So if we go over and hide inside it we can just wait until the flames are big enough and then disappear. That way we won't risk creating a stir."

Agreeing on that plan they went over and entered the TARDIS.

Kate couldn't believe her own eyes. Never in her life had she seen anything like that.

"It's…" she began.

"Bigger on the inside." Rose continued her sentence. "Yeah… it's pretty shocking the first time."

After a while the Doctor seemed to decide that they'd waited long enough, he pulled a lever and suddenly everything started shaking.

As abruptly as the shaking had begun it suddenly stopped again. rising from where she'd been thrown to on the floor Kate checked if she'd broken anything before following the others out of the TARDIS.

Tall structures stood swaying in the wind, above them large, multicoloured, birds flew around and filling the air was a strong, almost intoxicating, flowery fragrance.

"Where are we?"


	3. From The Ashes To The Fire

The question rang through the air from an unknown source. Who'd asked? It was very likely that they'd never found out as they slowly, still wondering how they'd ended up this strange place, left the TARDIS and walked away from it. Their minds were filled with the strange beauty, their heads spinning from the heavy fragrance in the air. Slowly, gradually, the planet lured them away from the safety of the TARDIS. They couldn't know. Couldn't know that what they saw was only a cover up, a mask, for the true appearance of the place.

Without any words they walked down towards a lake they'd seen a little away. It was a lake with the clearest, most sky blue water any of them had ever seen, it simply _called_ to them, invited them to go swimming. And they did; even Kate, with her intense fear of the river back home in the woods, felt no fear. Laughing they swam around in the swallow water, neither too cold nor too warm, just perfect. Not noticing how everything changed; how the structures stiffened and formed into sharp pillars. How the multicoloured birds turned into black carnivores with blood dripping beaks. And how the flowery fragrance gave way to a rotten stench.

Only when it already was far too late, and they were stuck in the lake, whose water had disappeared, leaving in its stead a slimy substance, did they realize what had happened. Before anyone could speak the slime started pulling them down; no matter how hard they fought it, even little Jess fighting valiantly, they couldn't stop they decent towards the depths.

'Well, at least I won't be scared of the river anymore after this!' Kate thought to herself as she drew a last ragged breath and went under.

After what seemed like hours being dragged through the darkness as they descended further and further underground they suddenly found themselves being dumped from the attic of a huge cave; falling at least a 100 feet before they, as their only slight stroke of luck that day, landed in something they never found out what was, but at least was kind of soft. Carefully, not daring to make a sound, they rose from the pile and surveyed the cave; it was as if they'd dumped right into a nightmare (which you, in a way, could say they _had_) stinking pitches of sulphur sent up a thick smoke, making it difficult for them to breathe and their eyes watering. Razor sharp stalagmites grew from the cave floor, unlike normal stalagmites these seemed to have become sharper and sharper the larger they became. An eerie silence filled the cave; no life forms inhabited this place; no bat colonies that, when night fell, would fly out to hunt, not even the tiniest micro-organism. A strange ghostlike light lingered over the cave.

Still without a sound they started walking towards the source of the light, making sure not to touch any of the stalagmites, even though it made their track a great deal longer than it would have if they had just taken the direct route, not counting the various times they had to walk around one of the sulphur pitches. After what seemed like hours the finally reached the spot where the light shone down from a hole above them.

"What now?" Marian, as the first to dare breaking the silence asked whispering.

"I think our only way out is through there. John, can you lift us up?" like Marian Robin was whispering.

"Yes." John simply whispered, then lifted Djaq up to his shoulders. But even though she could easily reach the hole, even with her petite body, she couldn't fit into it. Kate didn't have much luck either, and Marian, Rose and Sarah were bigger than them. It seemed like their way out was slipping away.

"I'm smaller than all of you." Jess suddenly whispered. "I know it's dangerous mum, but… if I can help…"

None of them wanted to admit that this little girl was their only chance, but she was.

"Right." The Doctor whispered. "Go find the TARDIS. I've programmed this so that when you point it at the console, you remember, in the middle of the big room right behind the door, and push this it will be directed to the nearest Time Lord, me."

Rose couldn't believe her own eyes when she realized what it was the Doctor was handing to Jess; his sonic screwdriver. He was either very desperate or he trusted the young girl a hundred percent; for some reason Rose was very sure it was the last opportunity.

Jess secured the sonic screwdriver in her pocket and without any other words John lifted her up to the hole; the moment she crawled into it the vague source of light was dimmed away. Leaving them in total darkness. Now they could only hope and pray that she would make it.


	4. Brave Girl Alone

She wouldn't be afraid. None of the others were afraid and neither would she be. They'd trusted her, trusted her to reach the TARDIS.

As soon as Jess exited the narrow tunnel the first problem arrived; she couldn't see the TARDIS anywhere, and she had no idea in what direction they'd walked underground.

After a brief moment of looking around, trying to see if she could pinpoint anything which might help her find the right direction, she realized that all she could do was walk in a direction, and just pray it was the right.

She hadn't been walking for long before one of the carnivores suddenly descended upon her. Sharp talons and beaks ready to rip her apart.

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" She screamed on top of her lungs. Her mother had always taught her that if she ever came across a wild animal she should just yell at it, which would scare it away. Unfortunately that tactic didn't seem to work here, if anything it just made the beast even more bloodthirsty. Screaming she started to run, not longer caring if she was running towards or away from the TARDIS.

Her feet hit something on the ground and she toppled over. Unable to move she felt how one of the sharp talons slashed over her back, ripping both her dress and her skin up in the process.

The smell of blood must have spread like wildfire, for in the next moment the sky was dark with the dark beasts. She was going to die. There was no doubt. She would die, leaving her friends forever trapped in the dark cave, wondering where she was.

The beasts descended upon her. All of them eager to get a taste of the stupid creature which had entered their domain.

Then, just as she thought all hope was lost, she remembered the device the Doctor had given her. Quickly she reached into her pocket, pulled it out and pushed the button the Doctor had showed her.

An ear-splitting noise filled the air making the beasts scream in rage and fly away from her. Wasting no time she scurried back to her feet and started running. From time to time blindly point the device towards the carnivores and push the button; scaring them off.

Why did she feel so strange? Like everything was a blur around her. She could only remember one time she'd felt like that; when the Sheriff had poisoned the entire Pit Street, making it look like it was the pestilence.

How long had she been running anyway? The beasts had stopped there pursuit a while ago, at first she'd thought she'd managed to scare them away. Now the horrible truth dawned upon her: the moment the first one slashed her back she was doomed. There was no doubt the talons carried some sort of poison. All the beasts had to do was waiting for the poison to take effect. Then their dinner would be served.

Stumbling on she was determined not to give up without a fight.

Finally after, she didn't how long; something blue amongst all the grey and black and brown appeared in the horizon. Getting renewed strength she started to drag herself the final distance.

Why didn't the TARDIS come any closer? Was she moving at all? No, she couldn't give up now. Not so close to her goal.

Calling upon her last bits of strength she finally reached the TARDIS. As if it knew she was a friend the doors swung open and she walked inside. Pointed the device at the control in the middle of the room. Pushed the button. And collapsed in the floor.


	5. Of How The Adventure Ended

Sitting in the darkness of the cave, waiting, not knowing how Jess was faring, out there in that terrible place, was horrible. They were all concerned for the girl; none of them as much as Sarah.

"Where can she be?" Sarah asked, worried. "Maybe it was a mistake sending her out there."

"No. Jess can do this. I know." Marian said to her friend.

No more words were spoken. It was like words really didn't do any justice, so they just waited, praying that Jess would make it.

They had no idea how long it had been before the TARDIS suddenly materialized right in front of them. Jumping to their feet they hurried inside, and found:

Jess. Laying on the ground, clearly unconscious, a terrible, blackening, bleeding wound on her back.

"Jess. Oh my God. Are you okay sweetie?" concerned Sarah kneeled down besides her daughter.

"Mum… I… I made it." she paused, clearly weakened, coughed a few times, and, with great effort, continued. "I think I've been poisoned. Those… birds… one of them scratched me. I only just made it to TARDIS…" and she passed out again.

No words were needed between Rose and the Doctor; he simply looked at her and she nodded, hurrying towards the part of the TARDIS which lay beyond the control room.

A little while later she returned, carrying a big basket of, something.

"There you go." She handed the basket to the Doctor who started to pull various items out of it.

Still silent Rose took a bottle of, something and started to smear it onto Jess' wound. At first they thought it was simply some sort of method to clean the wound but then something very weird happened. Right in front of their eyes the blackness of the wound disappeared then, as Rose continued to rub the ointment on, it slowly became smaller, and smaller and smaller until it was completely, gone. No traces of the wound which, only mere seconds before, had looked so fatal, no scar, not even a slight reddening of her skin. Nothing.

"How did you do that?" Djaq, ever the physician, carefully took the bottle which Rose had taken the stuff from and started reading.

"'Wound-Be-Gone. Guarantied that any wound, scratch, blemish will vanish completely by use of product in hand. Does product not live up to your expectations your money will be returned immediately.' Where did you get this?"

"On a planet called… Arh… I can't pronounce that. I'll just spell it for you. X.H.I.Q.G.U.Z.Y.O.K.L.S.D.A.R.B. where they, in the year, I'll have to go by their reckoning, standard time never really became, the norm, there. Anyway, in the year 58397205 metres across, 2048502 hours up and 30 odds steps to the side a scientist suddenly came up with the idea that the most efficient form of bandaging would be by, well making sure there wasn't any _need_ for bandaging anymore. So, he started his lifework and finally, after years of researching, he, in the year 20588071 book-lengths to the north, 1838919 snowballs in a pile and 2.95 little blue fairies, came up with the formula to the product we see here now. Then, he died, at the age of… GLOMP."

Rose had, very unceremoniously, clamped her hand over his mouth.

"Shut up, Doctor. You're rambling."

"Right. Sorry. Give Jess something out of the little blue bottle."

"I already did. When you were rambling."

The Doctor opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something then closed it again. Clearly thinking the better of it.

Then he quickly jumped to his feet and started pushing buttons, pulling levers and kicking the console random places.

"I'm not being funny." Allan murmured. "But I really he's getting us back to Sherwood."

"Yeah… me too…" Kate whispered.

"Oi. You two. I'm a Time lord. I can hear everything you say. Don't you trust me piloting abilities?"

"You haven't exactly given them a reason to." Rose said, matter-of-factly.

Suddenly the entire TARDIS began to shake. Just like it had done when they escaped from the pyre. A few more violent shakes which threw them all hard to the floor, except for Jess who was already lying there, and everything were silent again.

Slowly Robin rose to his feet and walked over to the door, peeping out.

"It's okay." He said, turning back towards them with a big smile. "We're back in the camp."

They all stepped outside and were met by a very shocked Tuck. He hadn't been able to slip away from the other monks without attracting unwanted attention.

"Hello, my friends. Nice to have you back." He, when he'd gotten over the first shock, greeted them cheerfully.

"Precisely for how long have we been gone?" The Doctor asked him.

"Only a few hours."

Without waiting for any more answers the Doctor retreated back into the TARDIS, returning a little while later, carrying a big chest of.

"Silver coins?" Jess asked, starring at the chest with disbelief. Never in her life had she seen so much silver.

"Yes." The Doctor answered her. Flashing a big smile. "It's our donation. Never really get to need medieval silver coins anyway."

They thanked him. Then bid farewell to both of them, watched as the couple stepped back inside the TARDIS. It shimmered and was gone. Leaving the gang with a new, strange knowledge that there were other people out there. Beings that, perhaps wasn't quite human. One of them, on a strange planet with an unpronounceable name with a very odd way of counting time, would one day come up with an ointment that would not only _clean_ any wound. But make them disappear completely.

The Doctor and Rose without doubt were. A very odd pair.


End file.
